Canon is replacing the oldest flash in its lineup, the Speedlite 220EX, with the Speedlite 270EX. The new shoe-mount flash unit, announced today alongside the EOS Rebel T1i, is more compact than its predecessor, features a two-position manual zoom head with 28mm and 50mm lens coverage, a metal mounting foot and quick-lock mechanism, bounce capability and support for both E-TTL II and manually-controlled flash output (the latter is adjusted via an in-camera menu only).

Like the 220EX, the 270EX is powered by two AA batteries. The newer unit lacks a test fire button, and will possibly have a longer recycle time than the 220EX.